Tobacco settlement will not protect future generations from addiction: advocates

WINNIPEG – The federal and Manitoba governments have signed a deal to expand food programs.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government set aside $1 billion over five years in the last budget to expand access to such programs across the country after pressure from federal New Democrats.

Manitoba is to receive about $17.2 million over the next three years under the deal.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says the agreement builds on the province’s nutrition program that was expanded last month.

Manitoba’s NDP government earmarked $30 million in this year’s budget to provide public schools across the province and schools in communities with high socio-economic needs with funds to provide meal or snack options.

Manitoba is the second province to sign an agreement, after Newfoundland and Labrador did so last month.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2024.

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TORONTO – He’s chasing a career milestone, but Toronto Argonauts running back Ka’Deem Carey has his eye on a different prize.

The Argonauts can clinch second in the East Division — and home field for the opening round of the playoffs — with a win over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday afternoon at BMO Field. Carey is third in CFL rushing with 1,005 yards and needs just 84 to surpass the career-high 1,088 yards he recorded two years ago with the Calgary Stampeders.

Two weeks ago, Carey and his teammates were hesitant to discuss Saturday’s contest because both Toronto (9-7) and Ottawa (8-7-1) had other games looming. Now, the division showdown becomes the most important contest on both teams’ schedules.

“When you preach things into existence and then it’s sitting in front of you, you get more excited for that opportunity,” Carey said. “You’ve got a rival coming into your home, it’s going to be a great game.

“Hopefully we can beat them and bring it back here again.”

Toronto has won two straight to stand second, one point ahead of Ottawa, which has dropped four consecutive games. But the Redblacks — in the playoffs for the first time since 2018 — can clinch home field for the semifinal by winning their final two regular-season games with the Argos and Hamilton next Friday.

Carey, who turns 32 on Oct. 30, has enjoyed a stellar first season with Toronto. He has his second 1,000-yard campaign in three seasons and has appeared in every game after being limited to just nine in ’23 with Calgary.

“This game is much more important to me,” Carey said. “I’m much more excited about the opportunity to clinch this home (playoff) game on our home field.

“That would be a nice reward (given) the season we’ve had. To get a home game and play on our turf — you know how loud it can get here and how crazy it can be — I’m excited about that.”

Toronto is coming off wins over Montreal (37-31 on Sept. 28) and Winnipeg (14-11 last week), the East and West Division leaders, respectively. The Argos ran for 234 yards against the Alouettes, then recorded seven sacks in halting the Bombers’ eight-game win streak.

Still, it’s been a roller-coaster campaign for the Argos, who opened ’24 minus quarterback Chad Kelly. The CFL’s 2023 outstanding player missed the pre-season and Toronto’s first nine regular-season contests after being suspended by the league for violating its gender-based violence policy.

Sophomore Cameron Dukes (4-4) and veteran Nick Arbuckle (1-0) led Toronto to a 5-4 record before Kelly’s reinstatement in August. Dukes completed 138-of-192 passes (71.9 per cent) for 1,404 yards with seven touchdowns and six interceptions while rushing for 299 yards and four TDs.

Since returning, Kelly has hit on 154-of-232 passes (66.4 per cent) for 2,120 yards with seven TDs and eight interceptions. He has also run for 189 yards and four TDs.

Toronto is 4-3 with Kelly and has won three-of-four games overall. Kelly has also thrown for 300 or more yards three times, something neither Dukes nor Arbuckle did.

The five-foot-nine, 206-pound Carey has become big part of a Toronto offence that’s averaging a league-best 124.4 yards rushing per game. Head coach Ryan Dinwiddie said establishing the run will be key against Ottawa, which is tied for second overall in sacks with 37, seven behind the league-leading Argos.

“They get after the passer so we’ve got to run the ball downhill, we’ve got to control the line of scrimmage,” Dinwiddie said of the Redblacks. “If we get the run game going that’s going to slow their pass rush a little bit.”

Ottawa’s Michael Wakefield is tied with Toronto’s Jake Ceresa for most sacks (eight). Lorenzo Mauldin IV, the CFL’s top defensive player in 2022, and Argo Ralph Holley are in a group just one off the pace.

Quarterback Dru Brown (ankle) starts for Ottawa after veteran Jeremiah Masoli and Dustin Crum both played in Monday’s 19-12 loss to Montreal. Receivers Justin Hardy (ankle) and Bralon Addison (hand) and linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox (knee) all return from injury.

Hardy leads the CFL in receptions (90) and is second in yards (1,241). He’s 231 yards shy of Gerald Alphin’s team record (1,471 yards, set in 1989).

An Ottawa player hasn’t led the CFL in receiving yards since Hall of Famer Tony Gabriel in 1977.

Ottawa won the first meeting 41-27 at TD Place on Sept. 7. Brown was 30-of-40 passing for 349 yards and a TD while Dominique Rhymes had 10 catches for 138 yards.

Kelly completed 36-of-56 passes for 463 yards but had four interceptions with three TDs, two going to Damonte Coxie.

A victory Friday night could give Ottawa its first season sweep of Toronto since ’85 when the franchise was the Rough Riders.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2024.

TORONTO – Ontario’s education minister has asked officials to conduct a governance review of a Brantford-area Catholic school board after trustees spent $45,000 on a trip to Italy to buy $100,000 worth of art.

Trustees of the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board promised to pay back the trip expenses, not long after they were reported by the Brantford Expositor, but Education Minister Jill Dunlop said more answers are necessary.

“While I acknowledge that the (board) is taking steps to fix their error in judgment, I remain concerned that accountability was only taken after my ministry and the public expressed clear concerns for the misuse of taxpayer dollars,” Dunlop wrote in a statement.

“With that in mind, I have asked my officials to start the process to conduct a governance review of the board.”

The Brantford Expositor reported that the art purchased in Italy included life-sized, hand-painted wooden statues of St. Padre Pio and the Virgin Mary, a large crucifix, sculptures depicting the 14 stations of the cross and a bust of Pope Francis.

Most of the art is destined for St. Padre Pio Catholic Secondary School, currently under construction, which the board wants to make a “flagship” school, the newspaper reported.

Board chair Rick Petrella initially told the Expositor that he and three other trustees travelled to Italy over the summer to meet artisans and commission the religious artwork.

“We looked at buying it off the shelf, but nothing stood out,” he told the newspaper.

But Petrella and the board of trustees now say in a subsequent statement that they regret the trip, and have promised to repay the expenses, as well as look at donations or other funding to offset the cost of the artwork to the board.

“We recognize that the optics and actions of this trip were not favorable, and although it was undertaken in good faith to promote our Catholic identity and to do something special for our two new schools, we acknowledge that it was not the best course of action,” they wrote.

The province is also conducting an audit of the Thames Valley District School Board in southwestern Ontario due to a staff retreat in Toronto that cost nearly $40,000, including a stay at the Rogers Centre hotel.

The ministry is also doing an expedited investigation of the Toronto District School Board after Premier Doug Ford raised concerns about a recent field trip, which saw students from 15 schools attend a protest on mercury contamination affecting a First Nation community in the north.

Videos of the protest on social media show some march participants chanting pro-Palestinian slogans, which prompted Ford to complain that teachers were trying to indoctrinate children.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.